Reading and writing skills are honed as students examine major works of poetry and novels like To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies. They learn to annotate effectively, examine literary techniques, and work with important grammatical concepts and vocabulary drawn from the literature as they construct persuasive written arguments. 

With the integration of English and World History, students analyze different civilizations and communities through cultural storytelling. Students are introduced to the major skills and methodologies of historical inquiry, including critical thinking, reading, writing, research and public speaking. Creative projects provide stimulate students' imaginations while putting their research, essay writing and presentation skills into practice. The SPICE framework — the social, political, intellectual, cultural, and economic aspects — is used to evaluate the relationship between contemporary society and the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome. Students explore various regions of the world through different thematic lenses and how current cultures manifested over time. 

Students develop their conversational skills in Spanish, French or Mandarin Chinese, learning to listen effectively, ask clarifying questions, read authentic texts and communicate about them in both written and verbal form. They also learn to understand the cultural context of the language and act appropriately within it.